Monday 19th January

2009 Challenge Fund (£8845– £450 in-play accounted)
This month's stake - £100

To trade out or not to trade out? I've done everything. For a while I always looked to lock in a profit, but that didn't suit me – definitely more gambler than trader. For a while I didn't trade out at all. That blew to pieces the day Thomas Bjorn took three to get out the bunker! For a while I followed the adage about only trading when there's 'value' in the new bet, but I'm never as confident about estimating 'value' in-play as I am beforehand. Plus there's an 'insurance' element involved as well.

Overall I think I close winning positions too early and losing ones too late. Making me a mug.
I thought this year I'd try to be more ruthless at closing out the bad bets.

Yesterday I laid Spurs. And then greened out at half-time, on the basis they looked certain to score second half. My £100 to win £145 became a certain profit of £30. Which doesn't look so good now, looked worse when Portsmouth went ahead, but looked much more astute when Darren Bent was about to head home the winner, and less astute second later!

Last night I caught the first quarter of the Phillies game, and decided to get out for a certain £45 loss. That saved me £55 and allowed me to enjoy television with the wife rather than twitching uncontrollably.

So, if I'd let both bets run – I'd be £45 in profit.
Doing what I did cost me £15


No bet today – need to do my other work.






Barking Bets (Banked £1375/Current bank £2940 – 1 bet in play unaccounted)
This week's stake - £300.

Losing £100 a week at the moment!

Probably tennis bets I should do – I'll look later.


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